Is Toxic Burden the Root Cause of Your Food Sensitivities?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that roughly 84,000 chemical substances are in use in the US —many of which have limited testing for their effects on humans and the environment. Americans are exposed to many of these substances daily, from everyday personal care items like cosmetics and shampoos to air and water pollution.

These substances can be challenging to avoid altogether, and rather than breaking down upon exposure, they bioaccumulate or build up in the body and can last for decades. And they don’t just accumulate in humans. These substances can also build up in our environment and food systems—via soil used for crops and animals raised for food—potentially increasing our exposure over time.

When exposure levels reach a tipping point, the body can become overwhelmed, leading to a state sometimes referred to as toxic overload. This can manifest in multiple organs, tissues, and cellular-level systems, making it challenging to identify specific causes.

One significant consequence of this overload is a condition known as Toxicant-Induced Low Tolerance or TILT. This refers to the onset of intolerances to various substances, potentially induced by a single significant chemical exposure or many low-level exposures over time. TILT may contribute to the development of food sensitivities.

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What is Toxicant-Induced Low Tolerance?

Toxicant-Induced Low Tolerance, or TILT, is thought to develop due to an overload of certain substances in the body and involves the development of new sensitivities. TILT develops in two stages: Initiation and Triggering.

Initiation of TILT

During initiation, an individual may experience either a single major exposure to certain substances or many repeated exposures over time. Exposure to substances such as environmental toxins, mycotoxins, pesticides, heavy metals, or chemicals may contribute to TILT. Think of your body as a bucket with limited space. Your bucket fills up from exposure to various substances. Once the bucket overflows, you may experience an overload, potentially triggering TILT.

Triggering Phase of TILT

During the triggering phase, an individual might start reacting to common chemicals, drugs, or foods that never previously triggered a response. Thus, food sensitivities may accompany this overload and a compromised gut. Some common foods that individuals may develop sensitivities to include gluten and dairy. Digestive issues are often the primary symptom of food intolerance, but TILT can affect numerous body systems, potentially causing neurological issues, allergy-like symptoms, fatigue, and muscle pain triggered by exposure to different chemicals or foods.  

Toxic Burden and Leaky Gut

The amount of certain substances in the body and their impact is sometimes referred to as your toxic burden. This burden can have a multi-faceted effect on the body, potentially affecting various organ systems.

In addition to TILT, a high burden of certain substances may also contribute to increased intestinal permeability, sometimes called “leaky gut,” through their impact on the gut. Leaky gut occurs when the mucosal barrier within the intestinal lining is affected, and particles like substances, food, and pathogens may enter the bloodstream. These substances can increase gut inflammation, affect beneficial bacteria, and disrupt the intestinal lining, potentially causing an imbalance within the gut microbiome. For instance, exposure to certain environmental chemicals such as heavy metals like arsenic or pesticides may contribute to dysfunction in the gut microbiome. When the gut microbiome is imbalanced and leaky gut occurs, both substances and food can enter the bloodstream, potentially creating a cycle of further inflammation, food sensitivities, and bacterial imbalance.

The relationship between food sensitivities and leaky gut is bidirectional, meaning that each can act as the cause or effect of the other. A leaky gut may contribute to the development of food sensitivities because gaps in the intestinal lining can allow food particles to enter the bloodstream, potentially triggering an immune reaction to a particular food.

High Toxic Burden Signs and Symptoms

Common symptoms that may be associated with a high burden of certain substances and leaky gut include:

• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Cancer
• Fatigue
• Infertility
• Allergies
• Behavior or mood disorders
• Neurological conditions- tremors
• Headaches

High Toxic Burden Possible Causes

In the same way that a high burden of certain substances can contribute to leaky gut, the reverse is also possible—leaky gut may lead to a high burden. This is because substances can enter the bloodstream when the gut barrier is compromised rather than being excreted from the body.

Other factors that may play a role in the development of a high burden include:

• Environmental factors such as climate, exposure to pollution, and chemicals
• Lifestyle factors, including nutrition, water consumption, activity levels, and stress
• And internal factors such as genetic variations

Functional Medicine Labs to Test for High Toxic Burden

When addressing a high burden of certain substances, it’s important to identify potential exposure sources and assess gut function to gain a better understanding of the situation.

Precision testing that may be useful for identifying and addressing potential issues includes:

1. Total Tox Burden: The Total Tox Burden is a comprehensive test for multiple sources, including heavy metals, mold, and environmental substances.
2. PFAS Chemical Test: The PFAS Chemical Test measures exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, commonly called “PFAS.” PFAS are used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. These chemicals are pervasive in everyday life, appearing in the air, soil, drinking water, and consumer goods, and are thus a common source of exposure.
3. Heavy Metals: The Heavy Metals panel tests for exposure to certain heavy metals and elements such as arsenic, lead, and mercury. Heavy metals can accumulate in air, soil, and water sources near industrial production sites or pollution.
4. Mycotoxins: The Mycotoxins panel measures levels of common mycotoxins produced by mold. Mycotoxin exposure can come from both dietary and environmental sources.
5. Environmental Toxins: The Environmental Toxins panel measures levels of environmental substances—substances that are manufactured or occur naturally in the environment and can cause acute or chronic overload when absorbed, inhaled, or ingested.

Additional Labs to Consider

When addressing a high burden of certain substances, it’s vital to assess gut function and the presence of food sensitivities, as conditions like leaky gut and food sensitivities may develop due to overload.

Lab tests for leaky gut & food sensitivities include:

1. Gut Zoomer: The Gut Zoomer tests for bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites in the gut microbiome, alongside relevant digestive, inflammatory, and immune markers. The panel measures hundreds of species of microbes at once, providing a comprehensive view of gut function.
2. Wheat Zoomer: The Wheat Zoomer panel assesses sensitivity to wheat, autoimmune disease, and intestinal barrier permeability.
3. Food Sensitivity 1+2: This panel measures IgA and IgG antibodies to 180 commonly consumed food antigens.

Functional Medicine Approaches for High Toxic Burden

Once potential sources of a high burden are identified through lab testing and lifestyle analysis, targeted functional medicine approaches may help support the body's natural detoxification processes.

Nutrition That May Help Manage Toxic Burden

Foods can be exposed to various substances throughout every stage of production, including chemicals like fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and food additives. Thus, a critical component in managing a high burden is nutrition. This includes:

• Avoiding processed foods and food additives such as preservatives
• Choosing organic food or growing your own
• Avoiding plastic packaging or cans lined with plastic
• Reducing plastic storage in the home
• Using alternatives to non-stick or aluminum cookware

5 R Protocol

If you’re concerned about a high burden of certain substances, there are several nutrition and lifestyle strategies you might consider to help manage levels and support gut health. A helpful guide to follow is the 5R protocol for gut support:

1. Remove potential irritants from your diet, such as caffeine and alcohol, and consider avoiding foods that may be inflammatory, like dairy, gluten, and high-mercury seafood. Wash produce with baking soda, including organic produce, to help reduce exposure to certain substances. Additionally, consider minimizing packaged foods to reduce exposure to substances commonly found in plastic packaging.
2. Replace irritants with nutrients that support digestion, such as fiber. To support the body's natural detoxification processes, emphasize foods that may aid the three phases of detox in the body: functionalization, conjugation, and excretion. Foods that may support detoxification include nuts and seeds like hazelnuts and flax seeds and herbs and spices like garlic and ginger. Soak and sprout grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds before cooking or consuming them to help increase nutrient absorption.
3. Repopulate the gut with beneficial bacteria by including prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods such as fermented vegetables, kombucha, and kefir (non-dairy).
4. Restore your gut to optimal health by focusing on anti-inflammatory foods and key nutrients such as antioxidants. Choose organic, non-GMO foods to reduce exposure to environmental pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
5. Rebalance your gut by making lifestyle adjustments in areas like sleep, exercise, and stress.

Supplements That May Support Detoxification

In addition to reducing exposure to substances present in our air, water, and food, several supplements may support the body's natural detoxification processes and help ensure proper absorption of nutrients:

• Binders such as fulvic and humic acid
• Detox-support supplements such as milk thistle and dandelion
• Antioxidant-rich herbs such as turmeric and green tea
• Anti-inflammatory herbs such as aloe and slippery elm bark

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Summary

Could a high burden of certain substances be contributing to your food sensitivities? Toxicant-Induced Low Tolerance and leaky gut may play a role in reactions to food, potentially creating a cycle of inflammation in the body.

By considering ways to reduce your exposure to everyday substances, eating foods that may support the body's natural detoxification processes, supplementing, and using precision lab testing to identify potential sources, you can support your gut health, manage your burden, and potentially reduce food sensitivities.